word. She went back to her conversation with his father and Gabe glanced up to see his mother eyeing him speculatively. He took a sip of his coffee to cover his expression. Mom was wily, and still had the ability to read him like a book no matter how old he got. While he had no issues with people knowing he’d slept with Anne—and hoped to do it again very soon—his parents would meddle, and he’d rather avoid giving them the excuse. Also, he hadn’t discussed with Anne how public she wanted this to be. She wasn’t shy, but that didn’t automatically mean she wanted to advertise her affairs.
Her arm brushed against his when she forked a bite of fish into her mouth. Goose bumps broke over his flesh, that electric awareness running through him. Watching her chew and swallow was a lesson in erotic torment as he vividly recalled the feel of her lips on his body. He jerked his gaze away before his pants grew uncomfortably tight.
A deep sigh drew his attention across the table. Bridget’s youngest had a look of abject misery on his face. Gabe’s eyebrows rose. “What’s up?”
The kid took a swig of his soda. “My mom is sleeping in their room, but we were too loud and woke her up, so Dad told us to go for a walk. We did that until dinner, but I think we should maybe stay busy until bedtime.”
Well, that explained how they’d ended up with the Warrens for dinner. Gabe glanced around the table. His parents looked a little tired, but a full day of babysitting high-energy teens could do that. Even though it was going to suck to miss out on a potential evening with Anne, Gabe smiled at the boys. “Why don’t you just hang out with me?”
His mother protested, “We can—”
He just gave her a look. Whether she liked it or not, the retirees needed a break. She sighed and met his father’s gaze. Dad shrugged and nodded, then took a big bite of mashed potatoes, signaling his unwillingness to discuss it further. He agreed with Gabe on this one. Mom pursed her lips and returned her attention to her meal.
Anne piped up. “I can stick around too, if you like.”
Okay, so he wasn’t going to get any sexy time with her, but he’d take any time he could get. He liked her. She could annoy him faster than anyone he’d ever met—and that included his family, which was saying something—but she also made him laugh and made him think. Two very large indicators of people he enjoyed being around.
“Sounds good, thanks.” He squeezed her shoulder just for the pleasure of touching her. Then he addressed the boys. “We’ve got a games room, and I think they’re playing a movie in there tonight.”
“What movie?” The oldest teen perked up a bit.
Gabe winked. “Whichever one I decide to put on. Want to help me pick?”
The middle kid made a face. “We’ve played all the video games though. We have those ones at home.”
“But there are board games too,” Anne interjected with a challenging lilt to her voice. “Bet I can beat you at Monopoly.”
The kid narrowed his eyes. “Nuh-uh.”
“We’ll see, won’t we?” Her shoulders moved in a delicate shrug.
They finished up dinner and dessert, said goodbye to his parents, and trooped the kids over to the rec room. The place was mostly empty of passengers, who seemed to have turned in early. Crowds weren’t as much a problem on smaller cruises like this one, which Gabe liked.
He also learned that Anne was amazing with kids. Of course, she made her living as a PE teacher with children around this age, so she had experience, but the evening wouldn’t have been the same without her enthusiasm. The boys got swept up in her fun, and they spent several hours playing board games, but then she broke out her secret weapons. Charades, Hang Man and Forfeit. He’d played the first two before, but in Forfeit, she’d take something from each player and then demand a particular stunt be performed before they could get their forfeit back. This was an instant hit with
Her arm brushed against his when she forked a bite of fish into her mouth. Goose bumps broke over his flesh, that electric awareness running through him. Watching her chew and swallow was a lesson in erotic torment as he vividly recalled the feel of her lips on his body. He jerked his gaze away before his pants grew uncomfortably tight.
A deep sigh drew his attention across the table. Bridget’s youngest had a look of abject misery on his face. Gabe’s eyebrows rose. “What’s up?”
The kid took a swig of his soda. “My mom is sleeping in their room, but we were too loud and woke her up, so Dad told us to go for a walk. We did that until dinner, but I think we should maybe stay busy until bedtime.”
Well, that explained how they’d ended up with the Warrens for dinner. Gabe glanced around the table. His parents looked a little tired, but a full day of babysitting high-energy teens could do that. Even though it was going to suck to miss out on a potential evening with Anne, Gabe smiled at the boys. “Why don’t you just hang out with me?”
His mother protested, “We can—”
He just gave her a look. Whether she liked it or not, the retirees needed a break. She sighed and met his father’s gaze. Dad shrugged and nodded, then took a big bite of mashed potatoes, signaling his unwillingness to discuss it further. He agreed with Gabe on this one. Mom pursed her lips and returned her attention to her meal.
Anne piped up. “I can stick around too, if you like.”
Okay, so he wasn’t going to get any sexy time with her, but he’d take any time he could get. He liked her. She could annoy him faster than anyone he’d ever met—and that included his family, which was saying something—but she also made him laugh and made him think. Two very large indicators of people he enjoyed being around.
“Sounds good, thanks.” He squeezed her shoulder just for the pleasure of touching her. Then he addressed the boys. “We’ve got a games room, and I think they’re playing a movie in there tonight.”
“What movie?” The oldest teen perked up a bit.
Gabe winked. “Whichever one I decide to put on. Want to help me pick?”
The middle kid made a face. “We’ve played all the video games though. We have those ones at home.”
“But there are board games too,” Anne interjected with a challenging lilt to her voice. “Bet I can beat you at Monopoly.”
The kid narrowed his eyes. “Nuh-uh.”
“We’ll see, won’t we?” Her shoulders moved in a delicate shrug.
They finished up dinner and dessert, said goodbye to his parents, and trooped the kids over to the rec room. The place was mostly empty of passengers, who seemed to have turned in early. Crowds weren’t as much a problem on smaller cruises like this one, which Gabe liked.
He also learned that Anne was amazing with kids. Of course, she made her living as a PE teacher with children around this age, so she had experience, but the evening wouldn’t have been the same without her enthusiasm. The boys got swept up in her fun, and they spent several hours playing board games, but then she broke out her secret weapons. Charades, Hang Man and Forfeit. He’d played the first two before, but in Forfeit, she’d take something from each player and then demand a particular stunt be performed before they could get their forfeit back. This was an instant hit with
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